a crane amidst chickens
by riouu
Summary: Sort of a short companion/extra story to "closer than you think", in which Midorikawa prepares for Endou's birthday and the humiliation sure to come with it, and regrets a few things. Mostly just unbridled silliness.


**Title: **a crane amidst chickens

**Author:** riou

**Length: **1292 words.

**Fandom:** Inazuma Eleven.

**Pairing:** Midorikawa-centric.

**Warnings:** None.

**Summary:** A short companion/extra story of a sort to "closer than you think", in which Midorikawa prepares for Endou's birthday and the humiliation sure to come with it, and regrets a few things. Mostly just unbridled silliness.

**Written: **27th March 2012.

* * *

><p><strong>a crane amidst chickens;<strong>

Midorikawa Ryuuji was not quite sure of what he'd gotten himself into when he agreed to take "Fuyuka's place" at Endou's upcoming birthday party, after Fuyuka herself had informed them all she would regrettably be unable to make the event. He most certainly did not expect Haruna to brandish a bejewelled corset in his face when he arrived at her house to find out just what he'd signed up for. Unfortunately, she caught him before he could escape, and now he found himself realising with horror that tonight was likely going to be very, very embarrassing.

"It's a silly hat party, not a silly _outfit_ party," he protested meekly as he held the offending glittery outfit at arms' length. "Aren't the ears enough? Why can't the two of you just dress up...?"

"Because we're a trio! And I'm pretty sure it's a 'dress up _and_ wear a silly hat' kind of party," Haruna stated, with Aki agreeing enthusiastically alongside her. "Fudou's dressing as a cowboy - leather and all," she continued with slightly raised brows, as if the idea of it was amusing but not something she was wholly sure on. Midorikawa silently shared her uncertainty, because he knew as well as anyone that Fudou Akio and leather could make a dangerous combination.

"And your brother?" This was his terrible attempt at buying time, at trying to find some way to make himself feel better about the entire thing - Midorikawa did not want to be the only one wearing a stupid costume, after all. He thought Fudou could probably pull off the cowboy outfit rather well, really, if he actually did it properly, but he was not so certain he could do the same with this...this _thing_ Haruna had shoved into his arms. It looked a lot sillier than a cowboy outfit.

"A spy. I think."

Aki mused, "A Casanova, more like," and Haruna laughed.

"Or he couldn't think of anything and just decided to wear a suit and his glasses and call himself a spy. Anyway, I heard Kazemaru plans to go as a k-pop singer, so you'll be fine, Midorikawa!"

Helpless in the face of such an enemy (he was now very much aware how dangerous women could be), Midorikawa's shoulders slumped in utter defeat. Of course, he could have adamantly refused the girls and just left, but somehow he did not have the heart to do that, and thus, he ended up shoved into Haruna's bathroom to change into odd attire he was not even sure how to wear correctly. Resignedly he sat on the edge of the bath and began to unbutton his shirt, deciding he might as well just get it over with.

The first item to put on, as Aki had instructed, were the tights - flimsy black things that were not quite opaque. Midorikawa was careful as he slipped into them, having witnessed firsthand just a minute ago how easy it was to rip material like this. Haruna had been quite disappointed when she realised she'd accidentally torn a thread and laddered half of one leg on another pair.

"This looks...so stupid," he said with a sigh to the girls, who were waiting outside the bathroom. Peering at himself in the mirror, he quietly hoped there would be a lot of alcohol at tonight's party. He wanted to make sure he forgot all about this incident, and that the others did, too.

"Ssh, it looks fine! I'm sure of it!" Aki's voice sounded from the other side of the door. "Have you got the suit on yet?"

"...Not yet."

"Put it on!"

The 'suit', as Aki called it, because apparently it was not a corset even if it kind of looked like it, was some strange creation of burgundy-coloured material decorated with spiraling patterns of tiny, golden beads and sequins. A ball of soft white fluff was sewn onto the back, resembling a rabbit's tail. The cut of the suit was sheer, exposing all of the legs (hence the tights) while the upper half was strapless, and Midorikawa was glad Fuyuka's chest was not especially large, else the damnable thing would have fitted him even more awkwardly. Luckily, he found it stayed up without too much trouble - the only problem was the back. He was unable to reach round to tighten the ribbons of the corset and fasten them securely, leading to an ill fit at the waist. This resulted in him having to ask Haruna and Aki to help out, which was followed by the worst two minutes (so far) of Midorikawa's life.

"Too tight!" he gasped out in pain, though he only felt the ribbon being tugged on further.

"It's nowhere near tight enough!"

"Haruna, I am going to _die_. Stop- pulling-!"

"Oh, hush up and take it like a man. Almost there!"

By the time the girls were satisfied, Midorikawa was surprised his innards had not been squeezed right out of him, because it definitely felt like that should have happened already. Groaning, he straightened up a bit, sucked in a much-needed lungful of air, and turned to the mirror. He blinked. "Huh."

Haruna eyed him up and down and he watched her warily in the mirror's reflection. "I think it suits you," she said brightly after a second.

Honestly, Midorikawa did not know whether to consider that a compliment or an insult.

An hour later, after spending some time learning how to walk in small heels without falling right back over, and feeling self-conscious and awkward all the way, Midorikawa and his burgundy bunny companions headed out. The birthday venue was a well-known restaurant - he could only plead silently to the gods that it was a quiet night. His hopes were sadly dashed as he stepped out of the car, wrapped in a big, long coat to stave off both the cold and curious glances from strangers in the street, only to find that the establishment was practically full to bursting. So was his outfit, actually. How was he going to eat anything without tearing seams?

"I don't know how you girls wear these things," he muttered to Aki and Haruna, reluctantly allowing himself to be dragged into the building.

Many of their friends had already arrived and were crowding up one of the larger tables set out on one side of the restaurant. All of them wore odd hats of some fashion or another, and quite a few had donned entire costumes. This set Midorikawa slightly at ease, especially when he noticed that Kazemaru had indeed gone through with his idea of dressing as a pop star and seemed to be sashaying about in a skirt. It was still rather embarrassing when he removed his coat, however, and the first thing that happened was Hiroto suggesting with total seriousness that he start wearing the bunny outfit to work. Midorikawa bit back the urge to smack his glasses off.

Aside from this, no one really made fun of him. He felt somewhat guilty for assuming his dear friends would judge him so horribly, even if he also thought his worry was quite rational and justified in some manner at least. Still, with Aki and Haruna simultaneously congratulating him on pulling off the outfit and thanking him for becoming part of their little trio, and with the pleasant company of everyone at the party, he began to relax and enjoy himself, and soon had almost forgotten his earlier anxiety entirely. The food was delicious, the cake especially - a vanilla sponge-y, black and white iced likeness of a soccer ball, of course, which Endou got childishly excited over when he spotted it.

Altogether, the night went better than expected, and Midorikawa was not sure anyone drunk enough to forget it. But that was all right.

* * *

><p><strong>end.<strong>

* * *

><p>this is not actually very well-written, in my opinion. it was also basically just me being an idiot and procrastinating on other fic so that's my excuse. it's an extra to "closer than you think" in the sense that the birthday party they're attending is the one mentioned at the end of that story. aside from that...<p>

(title from the chinese proverb "a crane standing amidst a flock of chickens". carries the overlying tone of: _the thing that stands out from others is something rather awkward, if not necessarily bad_).

...i'm sorry.

riou.


End file.
